On April 1, 2021, the University of Texas announced the hire of Chris Beard to lead the Longhorns basketball program to new heights. College basketball’s 2019 AP National Coach of the Year Chris Beard has one of the most unconventional paths to stardom in the history of coaching. From living out of his car at the start of his coaching career, coaching Division II Angelo State from 2013-15, to having the Texas Tech Red Raiders 12 seconds away from winning the 2019 National Championship four years later, Beard has beaten the odds at every turn to become one of the elite coaches in the profession. 

In just six years as a Division I head coach, Beard has won over 70% of his games, three conference Coach of the Year awards, two National Coach the Year awards, three conference championships, one Final Four appearance, and one National Championship appearance (2019). Coach Beard’s remarks are a masterclass in building a career from the ground up, establishing organizational culture, perseverance, and developing the work ethic and habits that lead to unprecedented success.